Can opener



Feb. 13, 1951 E, bEKOME 2,541,916-

CAN OPENER Filed Sept. 22, 1948 III v INVENTOR.

HRTHUR E .ZIE'KDNE v I x Patented Feb. 13, 1951 UNITED STATES TENT OFFICE 1 Claim. (CI. 30-14) This invention relates in general to can openers, and more particularly to can openers of the type having a curved series of can-engaging teeth rigidly connected to one end of a handle, and a cutter member pivotally engaged with the one end of said handle axially with respect to the curved series of the can-engaging teeth.

The general object of the invention is the provision of an improved can opener of the type referred to above, constructed to permit cutting of cans of any conceivable shape while eifecting wiping of the cut edge of the can toward its wall to eliminate roughness at the edge of the can and permit free removal of solidly packed goods from the can. This general object of the invention is attained by proper relationship of the individual parts of the can opener and by a specifically constructed cutter member having a cutting element designed for proper cutting and wiping action on cans of various sizes and forms.

Another object of the invention, therefore, is the provision of an improved can opener of the type referred to above, with a pivotally supported cutting member which includes a pointed cutting element having substantially ovoid cross section and an outwardly curved cutting edge.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an improved can opener of the type referred to above with a pivotally supported cutting member which includes a pointed cutting element having substantially ovoid cross section and an outwardly curved cutting edge, the crest of the curvature of the cutting edge being positioned in the lower portion thereof to effect in cutting operations cutting of cans with the rearwardly inclined upper portion of the cutting edge.

With the above and other incidental objects in View which will appear hereinafter, the invention consists in certain other novel features of construction and combination of parts, the essential elements of which are set forth in the appended claim and a preferred form of embodiment of the invention is hereinafter shown with reference to the drawings accompanying and forming part of the specification.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a plan View of a can opener embodying the invention, the opener being shown while cutting the top of a can;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the can opener;

Fig.3 is a side view of the can opener;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the cutting member of the can opener; and

Fig. is a sectional view online 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Referring now more in detail to the exempli- 5 cap remover.

25 wardly curved cutting edge ll.

2 fied form of the invention shown in the drawing, reference numeral 2 denotes a can opener embodying a base or handle member 3 shaped at one end with a hook 4 to form a bottle-opener-or Handle member 3 has non-rotatably attached to its other end a toothed disk 5 provided with ratchet-like teeth 6, which disk is fastened to handle member 3 by a rivet I and a pivot pin 8 extended through a central bore 10 in disk 5. Pivot pin 8 freely rotatably supports the other end of which is secured to handle member 3.

Cutting member 9 which has its one end I2 freely rotatably mounted on pivot pin 8 is formed at the side of its other end l3 with a pointed cutting element l4 integrally extended from said cutting member in rectangular relation with respect thereto. This cutting element which is of somewhat ovoid cross section includes two outwardly curved side faces l5 and i6 and an out- The side faces I5 and I6 effect in cutting operations on a can smoothing of the sharp edges of the metal adjacent to the cut and with a wiping action to force the metal edge adjacent the side wall of so the can toward such side wall, thus eliminating the roughness of the cutting edge and providing the opened can with an opening permitting free removal of the goods therefrom even though solidly packed. The outwardly curved cutting 5 edge l! of cutting element H! has a curvature tends to draw the cutting element downwardly into the can.

In the use of the device as a can opener, the

cutting element is positioned on the top of a can l8 and pressed through the top, and then '45 the toothed disk 5 is brought into contact with 7 the edge of the can while cutting member 9 rests partly on the top of rim I9 and acts as a guide to prevent the disk from working downward on the can. In this position, rounded front pertion 20 of handle member 3, which front portion extends somewhat beyond the teeth 6 of toothed disk 5, engages the outer side wall of the can and thus prevents excessive biting of the teeth into rim l9 and accidental downward tilting of the handle member tending to pull the cutting ele- 3 ment out of proper engagement with the top of the can. During cutting operations eflected by a pulling motion on the handle member away from the cutting member, the teeth will grip the edge of the can and form a fulcrum for the handle. A continuous reciprocating movement of the handle will soon have the can out. In these cutting operations in which the inclined portion of the cutting edge of the cutting element holds the cutting element in proper position with respect to the top of the can, the outwardly curved sides of said cutting element flatten and wipe down the rough edges of the cut as the outwardly curved sides of the cutting element imsure a smooth and proper wiping contact for said disk and an elon ated cutting member pivotally secured. with one end to said handle member to swing in an arc concentrically to the said disk, said toothed disk engaging during cutting operations the rim of a can and said rounded edge of said handle member engaging during such cutting operations the side wall of the can thus preventing downward tilting of the can opener for proper working position of the cutting member with respect to the can.

ARTHUR E. DEKOME.

REFERENGES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Germany mm.-. Mar. 23, 1925 

